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Natural ways to keep your patio or deck to yourself
Umbrella Market Place - your online store for patio, market, commercial and beach umbrellas
Patio umbrellas are great for keeping out the glaring sun and rain, but
they aren’t much use for keeping away mosquitoes. Those nasty pests
can be more than just an inconvenience. Today there is widespread concern
about the spread of diseases such as West Nile virus.
A 2002 study by the New England of Medicine and reported in the June 2006
issue of Consumer Reports ranked the most effective natural mosquito repellents.
1. Lemon eucalyptus oil was found to be the best, providing
2 hours of protection, more than products containing 7% of the chemical
DEET. This can be purchased in Repel
Lemon Eucalyptus Repellent. This product has been recommended by the
Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
2. Oils of geranium, soybean, and coconut was ranked
second best. This combination can be found in Bite
Blocker. Studies conducted at the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada,
showed that the Bite Blocker® product gave more than 97% protection
against mosquitoes under field conditions, even 3.5 hours after application.
3. Researchers studying old fashioned citronella candles
found that subjects who were positioned near the candles had 42.3% less
bites and those near the citronella incense had 24.2% fewer bites.
The following products have also been found to be effective but aren’t
yet commercially available in the US:
A spray mosquito repellent containing 5% fennel oil was
found to be 84% effective after 90 minutes.
In one study, two compounds derived from the essential oil of
thyme, were found to have significantly greater repellency than
a commercial DEET repellent. However, don't try to make a thyme oil repellent
at home- it is too irritating and strong-smelling to be used at effective
concentrations above 25%.
Two studies have found that undiluted topical clove oil
is active against mosquitoes. However, like thyme oil, clove oil should
not be applied undiluted to skin as a homemade repellent.
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Current trends in patio decorating
ABOUT PATIOS AND DECKS:
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To Seal or Not to Seal (your pavers)?
New life for your patio
Creative lighting for your patio or deck
A Water Feature For Your Patio
Cement Patio Ideas
Simple Patio Walkway Design Ideas
Building A Patio Straight From The Future
ABOUT OUTDOOR FURNITURE:
Plastic & Resin Patio Furniture
Outdoor Furniture Set That's
Right for You
Arranging you lawn and patio furniture
Choosing the right deck/patio furniture
Magic of Wrought Iron Patio
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